Iain Padley

In Cairo, General Strike Only Looked Like Defeat

I pulled into Cairo on a train early Sunday morning. It was the start of the Egyptian work week, and I was running very late to class at the American University in Cairo. As I rushed across town I had a lot on my mind. I was concerned about the heavy traffic around Tahrir Square, and about haggling with the taxi driver on such little sleep. I was also nervous about my Arabic presentation at 10 a.m. and a test I was taking later in the afternoon.